Gabrielle was next, letting out a small shriek of shock as she dropped, rear end first, into the water.

Move, yelled Megan, pointing towards some low hills nearby, dotted with snakehead bushes. That way.

Without further discussion, they each took hold of one of Bashs arms which was starting to feel like the most natural thing in the world to do.

Gabrielle glanced back at the dropship as they splashed their way on to the shore. Are we really in that much danger? she asked, her teeth chattering as violently as Megans.

Remind me again: how much do you know about anti-matter containment systems, Gabrielle?

Nothing.

Then youre going to have to take my word for it that we dont want to be anywhere near that thing when it blows.

They left the shore behind and pushed on between the bushes, scraping past curling black branches with bulbous tips. Just a little bit further, urged Megan, knowing it would be just too ironic if they got blown to smithereens this close to being home free.

They soon came to a narrow pass between two hills: a steep-sided gorge with a trickle of water descending towards the lake from higher ground. The bushes became less dense, and the going therefore marginally easier, except they had to keep stopping to untangle Bash from clawing branches.

Just as they reached the far side of these hills, the sky behind them suddenly flared white. This was followed a moment later by a roar that shook the ground right beneath their feet.

Gabrielle stared back the way they had come. Was that . . . was that the dropship?

Megan squeezed her eyes shut to eliminate the after-images. She could still see the outline of the hill rendered in bright, pulsing colours.

A pall of smoke rose high into the air and some of the bushes at the gorge entrance were burning merrily, now sending up their own plumes of acrid smoke.

Yeah, said Megan, that was the dropship. And my second crash-landing in just a couple of days. It occurred to her that they were all likely to be affected by residual radiation, so the sooner each of them could get inside a medbox, the better.

Gabrielles face had turned completely white above the rim of her breather mask, having not realized until now just how much danger they had been in. How much anti-matter was in that thing? she asked shakily.

A pinheads worth, said Megan. And thats all it takes. She reached inside her coat and adjusted the heating elements, turning them all the way up. She saw Gabrielle do the same first for herself, and then for Bash. Before long, all three of them were billowing clouds of steam, as their jackets dried them from the inside out.

We should get going, announced Megan. But before we do, theres something Ive been meaning to ask you. Did Tarrant do anything that might prevent you communicating mind-to-mind?

Gabrielle only looked confused. I dont understand.